Barrow train crash - worker was seriously injured says new report

The report states that a passenger train travelling at approximately 102mph at 10.26am on Sunday, February 14 collided with a conveyor boom projecting from an aggregates train standing in siding at Barrow-upon-Soar.

THE RAIL Accident Investigation branch has today released its report into a collision between a passenger train and an aggregates train at Barrow-upon-Soar.

The report states that a passenger train travelling at approximately 102mph at 10.26am on Sunday, February 14 collided with a conveyor boom projecting from an aggregates train standing in siding at Barrow-upon-Soar.

It states that two of the coaches of the train were damaged by the impact but the train did not derail, and that the unloading wagon conveyor boom was also damaged. Also a fitter, who had been working on the conveyor, was seriously injured, however nobody on the train was injured.

The wagon involved in the accident was part of a train which had been loaded with aggregates ready for departure the following day, and while checking the operation of one of the wagons in the train, the fitter identified that it needed maintenance.

Whilst the fitter was carrying out the work a failure occurred in the control circuit; a push button switch controlling the movement of the boom became stuck in the ‘on’ position, and this caused the boom to fully rotate and placed the end of the boom foul of the nearest of the main lines.

There was no instruction to prevent the wagon being maintained on this siding.

The risk assessments undertaken in support of the systems of work adopted at the site had not considered the risk of the boom moving out of control and affecting other train operations.

It said: “The underlying causes of the accident related to the maintenance of the electrical system of the wagon, and the management of the associated safety risk.”

Simon French, chief inspector of Rail Accidents said: “This investigation highlights the vital importance of wagon maintenance to the continued safe operation of freight trains on the UK’s railways.

“In this case, the condition of the electrical system used to control a wagon-mounted unloading boom had been allowed to deteriorate to the point where reliable operation could no longer be assured. An absence of adequate maintenance led directly to the boom slewing into the path of a passing express passenger train.”

“Since May 2013, it has been a legal requirement that every freight wagon is assigned to a body that is certified to act as the ‘entity in charge of maintenance’ (ECM).

“Our investigation into the accident at Barrow-upon-Soar identified the absence of proper maintenance systems to cover the wagon’s electrical components.

“Such a system will need to consider all of the hazards associated with the electrical systems – this should never be limited to the risk to maintainers (eg electric shock and fire) but also the potential for wrong side failure leading to an unsafe outcome or the failure of a safety function to operate (such as emergency stop).”